Boys Metro golf set for Wednesday

Boys Metro golf set for Wednesday

Defending champion Catholic High, Zachary High and Denham Springs High help lead the field for the Baton Rouge Boys Metro golf tournament set for Wednesday at BREC’s Beaver Creek Golf Course.

Tee times start at 11 a.m. for the one-day tourney and a number of storylines abound with more than 20 schools expected to compete.

A year ago, Catholic shot the low score of 300 to win the Metro crown, just three strokes ahead of Zachary. Denham Springs placed third.

Denham Springs then went on to claim a Division I regional title, while Zachary won the Division I state title.

“No matter how you look at it, I think Catholic has to be the favorite,” Zachary coach Clark Engemann said.

“Every year they roll out what looks like an army of golfers who are all capable of shooting low scores.

“Every time you play them, somebody different shoots the low score. At the same time, both us and Denham Springs have guys who are capable of playing with anybody on any given day.”

A year ago, Catholic’s James Hubicz shot a 3-under-par 69 to win the individual title. Hubicz, now a junior co-captain along with fellow junior Brennan LeBlanc, is part of a Bears squad that features several talented sophomores.

“This is a still a young team,” Catholic coach Patrick Dulaney said. “We have three juniors and four sophomores in our top seven, and they’re all extremely close.

“I can tell you who’s going to compete (Wednesday), but I have no idea who it will be when we get to regional and state.

“Zachary and Denham Springs are both very strong. They’ve each beaten us once this year, so it should be interesting.”

Zachary senior Payton McCullough, a Nicholls State commitment, has won Teurlings Catholic’s Rebel Classic and the Sulphur Invitational.

McCullough was the Metro runner-up a year ago, while St. Amant’s Blake Gautreaux placed fifth.

Catholic is led by sophomores Will Meyers, Mark Bienvenu and Tristen Elston. Evan Morse, Cody Maxwell and Zach Ginn help lead Denham Springs.